Lagos intensifies efforts to improve maternal, child health

Kasara Chukwuma, Lagos

The Lagos state government is set to reduce maternal and infant deaths in the state as it begins the 2019 maternal, new born and child health week geared towards the provision of health interventions required to improve maternal, new born and child healthcare in the state.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos state Ministry of Health, Dr. Titilayo Goncalves, who disclosed this at a press briefing at Alausa, said that the state government remains committed to providing interventions needed to boost maternal, new born and child health in the state as maternal, pre-natal and child health is one of the most important issues determining global and national wellbeing.

Goncalves noted that the government has put in place, various measures to ensure an effective healthcare system to tackle the twin issue of maternal and child mortality in the state.

She revealed that the state government has embarked on integration of low cost, high impact services and packages across the reproductive, maternal, new born and child health which has great potentials of creating an effective and sustainable healthcare delivery for women and children.

Also, she said that programmes such as maternal and child mortality reduction, family planning services, prevention and management of HIV / AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and nutrition services are also being integrated and implemented within the primary healthcare framework with a view to promoting adequate health access and improved outcomes for women and children.

The permanent secretary urged Lagosians, especially caregivers, to take advantage of this year’s maternal, new born and child health week which is scheduled to hold from July 15 – 19 by taking their under-five children to any primary healthcare centre nearest to them to access the various health services such as e routine immunization, vitamin A supplementation, growth monitoring and promotion, screening for malnutrition and appropriate counselling/referral; and the distribution of de-worming medicines amongst others.

She affirmed that maternal health booklets, comprehensive health promoting home-based booklets which provide information on birth planning, pregnancy-related health check-up schedules, emergency care, delivery information, postnatal care would also be made available for mothers.

She therefore, advised mothers and care-givers to continue to avail themselves of these preventive, promotive and protective health services even after the celebration of the week so that maternal and child morbidity and mortality can be collectively reduced.